New York Theatre Ballet will perform two works at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in the Doris Duke Theatre from August 3- 7, 2016. Jacob’s Pillow, a National Historic Landmark, National Medal of Arts recipient, and home to America’s longest-running dance festival, is located in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts at 358 George Carter Road in Becket. NYTB’s program opens with "Song Before Spring" choreographed by Zhong-Jing Fang (American Ballet Theatre, corps de ballet) and Steven Melendez (New York Theatre Ballet, principal dancer) to Philip Glass’ Piano Etudes played live by steel drum ensemble, NYU Steel. Jack Anderson recently wrote about "Song Before Spring" in London’s Dancing Times: “…This was not the gambol one might expect, but an emotional outburst that plunged young people into unruly and unpredictable passions…” and from Carla Escoda of the Huffington Post: “The evening closed with a tumultuous 48 minute account of Philip Glass’ etudes arranged for steel drums. The 12-member NYU Steel ensemble took no prisoners. neither did co-choreographers Steven Melendez, of New York Theatre Ballet and Zhong-Jing Fang of American Ballet Theatre.” Following "Song Before Spring" is Antony Tudor's 1937 masterpiece "Dark Elegies," an eloquent, somber ballet danced to Gustav Mahler's song cycle "Kindertotenlieder." After seeing "Dark Elegies" performed by NYTB, Deborah Jowitt wrote in Dance Beat, “The NYTB dancers perform 'Dark Elegies' scrupulously and sensitively. A great achievement.”

Performances: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:15pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2:15pm. Tickets are $45 and $35, with $10 Youth tickets also available for every performance. Tickets go on sale to the public April 1; Jacob's Pillow Members can order as early as January 11. For more information on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and to become a Member visit www.jacobspillow.org or call 413.243.0745

ABOUT NEW YORK THEATRE BALLET

New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB), founded in 1978 by artistic director Diana Byer, has been hailed by The New York Times as “an invaluable company.” NYTB is dedicated to inspiring a love of dance in diverse audiences through performances of chamber ballet masterpieces and bold new works, as well as innovative one-hour ballets for children, all at affordable prices.

By pairing the ballets of legendary creators with those of contemporary visionaries, NYTB brings a new understanding and appreciation of dance. The approach to live performance for children is groundbreaking and unique. New York Theatre Ballet offers an annual series of hour-long ballets tailored to the attention span of young audience members, while offering high production values and clever choreography sophisticated enough for discerning parents.

NYTB is committed to reaching underserved audiences by performing in small cities throughout the U.S. Its professional school provides ballet training based on the Cecchetti syllabus. Classes are offered at affordable prices. Scholarships are awarded to talented homeless and underserved children along with support for well-rounded learning.

ABOUT JACOB’S PILLOW

ABOUT JACOB’S PILLOW: Jacob’s Pillow, celebrating its 84th Festival in 2016, is a National Historic Landmark, recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and home to America's longest-running international dance festival. Each Festival includes more than 50 national and international dance companies and 350 free and ticketed performances, talks, tours, classes, exhibits, and events. The School at Jacob’s Pillow, one of the most prestigious professional dance training centers in the U.S., encompasses the diverse disciplines of Ballet, Cultural Traditions, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre Dance, as well as an Intern Program in various disciplines of arts administration, design, video, and production. The Pillow’s extensive Archives, open year-round to the public, chronicle more than a century of dance in photographs, programs, books, costumes, audiotapes, and videos. Year-round Community Programs enrich the lives of children and adults through public classes, residencies in area schools, and an extensive schedule of free public events. Through Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion®, a nationally recognized program, Artist Educators work with Berkshire County teachers and students grades K-12, transforming curricula such as biology, literature, and history into kinesthetic and creative learning experiences. Creative Development Residencies, in which dance companies are invited to live and work at the Pillow and enjoy unlimited studio time; choreography commissions; and the annual $25,000 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award all support visionary dance artists and choreographers. During Creative Development Residencies, artists are invited to spend one to three weeks at the Pillow creating or rehearsing new work, with free housing for the company, unlimited use of studio space, and access to the Pillow’s rare and extensive Archives and other Pillow resources. In the beautiful, retreat-like atmosphere of the Pillow, the Creative Development Residencies are rare opportunities for artists to focus on the creative process without distraction. Notable artists who have created or premiered dances at the Pillow include choreographers Antony Tudor, Agnes de Mille, Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Kevin McKenzie, Twyla Tharp, Ralph Lemon, Susan Marshall, Trisha Brown, Ronald K. Brown, Wally Cardona, Andrea Miller, and Trey McIntyre; performed by artists such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carmen de Lavallade, Mark Morris, Dame Margot Fonteyn, Edward Villella, Rasta Thomas, and hundreds of others. The Pillow’s digital initiatives are aimed at expanding global audiences for dance and offers the opportunity to experience dance and Jacob's Pillow from anywhere in the world via online interactive exhibits, global video networks, and social media. An important part of the Pillow’s digital presence, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive is a curated online video collection of dance highlights from 1933 to today. On March 2, 2011, President Obama honored Jacob’s Pillow with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government, making the Pillow the first dance presenting organization to receive this prestigious award. For more information, visit www.jacobspillow.org.